Being a police officer is much more than donning a uniform and carrying a gun.
These days, a cop is a crime solver, peace maker, a social worker and sometimes a super hero.
“It’s wide open,” says Const. Tammy Herman, who is set to kickstart Ridge Meadows RCMP Spurs, a program for youth between the ages of 14 and 18 who are interested in pursuing a career in policing.
Over 30 weeks, students who sign up for Spurs will be introduced to different aspects of policing, from forensics and the RCMP dive team to traffic enforcement and walking the beat.
“What we are trying to do is pique the interest in kids who were thinking about law enforcement but don’t know where to go with it,” says Herman.
Students will spend an evening with the emergency response team, the RCMP helicopter, learn about the criminal code and even visit court.
Dressed in their own uniforms, the Spurs will also march alongside Mounties during the Remembrance Day parade and volunteer with the RCMP Musical Ride when it visits Maple Ridge in September.
“I also want to bring in what the kids are dealing with on a day to day basis,” says Herman, adding that students will learn about bullying, sexting and the graduating licensing program.
Herman says police want to spark an interest in students who may not have considered a career in policing as well.
“So much of our stuff now is about science and computers,” she adds.
“We want to reach out to those kids who maybe aren’t the football all-star and top cheerleader. We are looking for kids who can think outside the box and looking for some avenue to direct their studies.”
Spurs participants will do 100 hours of community, spend a day at the Vancouver Police Museum learning about forensics and walk the beat with a cop in the Downtown Eastside as well as learn what it’s like to work with the homeless in Maple Ridge.
Unlike the Youth Police Academy, the Spurs program aims to show students that a law enforcement career doesn’t mean you only have to become a police officer. You can be a sheriff, a border guard or work as a crime analyst.
Herman wants the students to know that the choices they make as a teenager will affect their future as a police officer.
“A lot of kids think it’s their juvenile record and it won’t come up as an adult. Well, it does,” she says.
“Even though they may not have a criminal record, they still have to be accountable for their actions. I have so many kids come to me wanting to be a volunteer or join a program and I have to turn them down because I can’t pass their security clearance.”
Spurs
Ridge Meadows RCMP hosts an open house for students and parents Thursday April 11 at the Randy Herman Building, 11990 Haney Place at 7 p.m. Students interested in Spurs must apply through their school career counsellors. The application deadline for this year is April 16.
• To learn more, call Const. Tammy Herman at 604-467-7661 or email Tammy.Herman@rcmp-grc.gc.ca.
Donate
Const. Tammy Herman is looking for book donations for a sale that will fundraise for the new Spurs program. If you have books to donate, drop them off at the RCMP detachment or call Const. Tammy Herman at 604-467-7661 or email Tammy.Herman@rcmp-grc.gc.ca.